Collaboration between Enfield Council and Thames 21 one of just two nominations for this year’s Ashden Award for Nature Recoverers

Turkey Brook is now free to flow through Albany Park — Albany Park Wetlands

Enfield Council and environmental charity Thames 21’s joint efforts to improve the borough’s green spaces has been recognised by a national award scheme.

Climate charity Ashden revealed the finalists for its 2023 awards, who it says are “changing our relationship with nature and delivering the new technologies and funding models essential for reaching net zero”.

The Ashden Award for Nature Recoverers “celebrates inclusive, community-focused adaptation initiatives” such as “restoring and protecting waterways and green spaces” that will “lessen the impact of extreme weather”. Enfield Council and Thames 21, which have collaborated on schemes including Enfield Chase Restoration Project and several new wetlands in public parks, are one of two nominations for the award, alongside Liverpool City Council.

Enfield Council and Thames 21 received the joint nomination for their “work with local residents […] to restore rivers and create new ponds, woods and wetlands to build climate resilience in North London”.

Dr Stephen Hall, head of awards at Ashden, said: “Our finalists are boundary-pushing pioneers cutting emissions and restoring nature. Crucially, they show how green jobs and community projects can drive a just transition and more equal society.

“This blows apart the ridiculous idea that net zero will make us all worse off. Politicians should put our finalists and other trailblazers at the heart of inclusive, ambitious plans for a sustainable future.

“They are taking on urgent national challenges, like upgrading homes and changing our relationship with the environment. But they can’t do it alone – investment and sympathetic policies are absolutely essential.”

As well as three UK-based award categories, the 2023 Ashden Awards also feature five categories focused on energy access and natural climate solutions in the Global South. All winners of the Ashden Awards will be announced on 14th November before the COP28 climate summit.

Ashden is a UK-based climate solutions charity which aims to “accelerate transformative climate innovations and build a more just world”. 

For more than 20 years, the Ashden Awards have “backed radical ideas delivering lower emissions and a fairer world”, with grants and development support on offer to winners and finalists.

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